Sometimes misunderstandings come from one simple word difference, perhaps only a preposition. (Hang on, all you grammarphobic!) I have been told that Jesus, or God, is all there is; that there is nothing else and to look for more is dangerous and to be cautioned against. But, there is a misunderstanding between what I am crying out for and what I am warned against-a difference that stems from one word-a preposition. I am not longing for more THAN God! No, I am longing for more OF God! (See, the preposition is different and it changes dramatically the meaning.)
I do not believe there is anything besides God. He is my All in All; the Source of my greatest needs; the Answer to my deepest questions; the Satisfaction of my heart’s cry; the Lover of my soul. I know all that full well. To encourage someone to look beyond God for any of their longings, questions, or desires is foolishness at best, dangerous at worst. No, I am not longing for more THAN God.
OTOH, to be satisfied with my relationship with God at the present time is dangerous, at least as dangerous as looking beyond God. I am NOT content in this area. I want more…I cry out for more…strain for more…..more of Him, more intimacy, more connection, more communication, more leading, more of His presence, more of His power, and so on and so on. I am thirsty for more! This is a hunger that cannot be satisfied. The more I know Him, the more I want to know Him! The more I drink of His well, the more thirsty I become for more. In the words of a friend, “Oh, there is more…much more. You’re only wet up to your ankles.”
I was content for a while. (Incidentally, no one warned me then of the dangers of contentment in my relationship with the Lord. No one warned that relationships-even with God-are not static. Either we draw closer or we drift apart. By deduction, I was counseled to NOT expect more.) Yes, I was content….until I prayed one short, simple prayer, “Lord, I want to be desperate for You.” And, His answer was, “Well, come into the wilderness for awhile, my Child.” And, in that wilderness, my desire for greater intimacy…for more OF Him….grew until nothing could satisfy…nothing except Him. Now, contentment in my relationship is gone. I am continually longing for more OF God! And, as He answers that longing, the longing intensifies; as He shows me more of His face and His glory, I long for more; as He quenches my thirst for Him, my thirst grows.
Actually, I don’t think I’m even in up to my ankles…I’ve only gotten my big toe wet. I can’t imagine what it will be like when I’m drowning.